News from around the 32 counties of Ireland, week of October 7th

The scheme begins in Sugar Island and will then move in sections towards the Albert Basin, with an expected completion date of June 2014.
[Source: Examiner Newspaper]

DUBLIN

The publican brother of Environment Minister Phil Hogan has been banned from driving after drinking 15 pints before crashing his car.

Paddy Hogan (51), who owns the Hogan Stand pub in Tullow, County Carlow, appeared before Baltinglass District Court where Judge David Kennedy found him guilty of drink-driving.

He was barred from driving for four years and fined $950 for the offense under Section 4 of the Road Traffic Act.
[Source: Evening Herald]
FERMANAGH

Fermanagh’s out-of-work figure for last month, at 4.7 percent of the working population, is below the Northern Ireland average of 6.9 percent for the quarter, May to July.

And, it compares favorably with the out-of-work rate for the south of 13.5 percent. That is the positive side for Fermanagh, which just recently saw 40 employees laid off with the closure of the Flynn Fine Foods plant in Roslea.
[Source: Fermanagh Herald]

GALWAY

There's been an eight percent increase in the number of new cars sold in Galway.

Figures compiled by the Society of the Irish Motoring Industry show that 104 vehicles were sold throughout the city and county last month.

This compares to 96 in September 2012.

Nationally, new car sales for September show a rise of 28 percent.
[Source: Galway Bay FM]

KERRY

Gardaí (police) have issued an appeal for witnesses after two people were killed in a collision involving a car and truck in south County Kerry last Monday afternoon.

A man and a woman, both in their 20s, were fatally injured in the crash, which happened at Cloon on the Cahirciveen to Ballinskelligs Road at approximately 12:25 p.m.

Three units of the fire service, ambulances and Gardaí attended the scene.

It is understood those driving the car were tourists visiting the area.
[Source: Irish Times]

KILDARE

Former Leinster Championship-winning captain Glenn Ryan is now out of the running to replace Kieran McGeeney as Kildare senior football manager.

There was speculation that Ryan was interested in taking on the Lilywhites job, having met with County Board Chairman John McMahon last Monday morning.

But the two-time all-star center-back, who stepped down from his role as Longford manager in August, has ruled himself out of contention, as he is keen to have a long overdue break from G.A.A. matters.
[Source: Breaking News]

KILKENNY

The E.U. Directorate General for the Environment is to investigate Kilkenny County Council’s plans to demolish three houses on Vicar Street, it has been confirmed.

It follows a letter written by Ireland East M.E.P. Nessa Childers to the E.U. environment commissioner, Janez Potocnik, in support of a formal complaint made to the E.U. by Shirley O’ Brien and local Green Party Councilor Malcolm Noonan.

The complaint said that the proposed demolition of 20-22 Vicar Street, Kilkenny, to make way for a proposed Central Access Scheme, could be in breach of the E.U. Directive on Environmental Impact Assessments.
[Source: Kilkenny People]

LAOIS

Camross secured their 24th Laois S.H.C. title on Sunday evening, September 29, in O’Moore Park, as Zane Keenan inspired them to a three point-win over Borris-Kilcotton.

The most successful club in Laois club hurling took control of the game early in the second half, an apart from a 10-minute spell after half-time, always looked the likely winners. Indeed, they could have won by more, as the finished with 16 wides with nine of those coming in the first half.
[Source: Leinster Express]

LEITRIM

Acting County Manager Martin Dolan said it was a special day for Leitrim and Carrick when Minister Varadkar unveiled a beam from “possibly the first bridge” in the county town.

The historic oak beam, which was found in 2008 beneath the parking area immediately upriver of the Carrick-on-Shannon bridge on the Leitrim side of the River Shannon, has been encased in glass at the main area of Aras and Chontae, Carrick-on-Shannon.

Archaeologist Martin Timoney said the National Museum of Ireland is happy to have the historic beam kept here in the county.
[Source: Leitrim Observer]
LIMERICK

Former rugby greats, Keith Wood and David Wallace, are fully backing the Special Olympics that returns to Limerick next summer.

The return of the games was celebrated in style with a sell-out fundraising wine-and-dine evening in the Cornstore Restaurant.

All proceeds from the night will go towards supporting Special Olympics Munster at the 2014 Special Olympics Ireland Games.

The fundraising evening is the first in a calendar of activities scheduled to take part in Limerick in the build-up to next June’s event.
[Source: Limerick Leader]